Transfers shake up 2026 college football QB rankings. See who tops our Top 25 list

No position in college football is more important than quarterback. Yet the position has incredible turnover with players departing for the NFL or heading to the transfer portal in the effort to level up at a bigger program or in search of more playing time.

The circumstances create fluidity every season, and the benefit of having a returning starter or the arrival of an experienced veteran can make or break a team. It should then be no surprise that all but one of the top 25 best quarterbacks fit into one of those categories.

Nineteen of the group selected by voters at USA TODAY Sports are in at least their second year at their school with just one yet to be a starter. The other six members of the list are transfers with significant starting experience at their previous stops.

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25. Keelon Russell, Alabama

Recently named the starter by Kalen DeBoer, the former five-star recruit has the electric physical skills that were just too hard to keep off the field. There are sure to be growing pains after he sat out in his first season in Tuscaloosa. By the end of the season, he could be much higher on the list.

24. Conner Weigman, Houston

Weigman is the Big 12's leading returner in completion percentage (65.2%) after guiding the Cougars to 10 wins last season. What separates him is his instincts, trusting his arm while knowing when to use his legs. His 36 total touchdowns — 25 passing and 11 running — were top 10 in the country. Staying healthy and playing a full season was rewarding, and he still has room to get better if he can cut down the interceptions.

23. Rocco Becht, Penn State

Becht is one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the country with almost 40 starts and 64 touchdown passes in his three years as a starter at Iowa State. His arrival in State College to follow coach Matt Campbell is significant due to his familiarity with the scheme and should help the transition for the Nittany Lions..

22. CJ Bailey, NC State

If experience matters, the Wolfpack certainly have it. Bailey has amassed over 5,500 career passing yards and 42 TD throws in his more than 20 starts across two seasons running the attack. His size at 6-6 and command of the Wolfpack offense isn’t in question, but whether the win total improves largely hinges on the other side of the ball.

21. Byrum Brown, Auburn

Another quarterback that followed his coach to a new school, Brown sticks with Tigers coach Alex Golesh to the Plains from South Florida. Brown excelled as one of the nation’s top Group of Five quarterbacks, rushing for more than 1,000 yards last season. He’s a skilled deep-shot passer, too, and Golesh’s up-tempo spread offense is proven to work in the SEC from his time at Tennessee.

20. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

Sellers entered last year with tons of hype, but his performance dropped off in his second season as a starter. That’s not entirely his fault. The Gamecocks were awful. They hired a new offensive coordinator, Kendal Briles, to get Sellers back on on track. It’s tough to know what to expect from Sellers. He requires better pass protection and support. Nobody would dispute he’s talented. Some NFL draft evaluators believe he’ll become a first-round selection.

19. Bear Bachmeier, BYU

You wouldn't have guessed Bachmeier was thrust as BYU's starter as a true freshman last year without the benefit of spring practice. He surpassed expectations, throwing for 3,033 yards and rushing for 527 yard with 26 total touchdowns as the Cougars reached the Big 12 title game. Bachmeier plays with a physical style that relishes contact. His throwing consistency needs improvement, but he can become one of the best quarterbacks in the country with further development.

18. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, California

Sagapolutele might just be the guy nobody is talking about enough, not just around the ACC but in the entire country. He threw for 3,454 yards and 18 scores as a freshman last year, and new Bears coach Tosh Lupoi convinced him to stay in Berkeley. The priority now is to give him better protection and more consistent ground support so that he can continue to flourish and bring more wins to Cal.

17. Devon Dampier, Utah

Utah led the Big 12 with 41.3 points per game (fourth nationally) thanks to the dynamic playmaking of Dampier. A transfer from New Mexico, his first season in Salt Lake City saw him throw for 2,490 yards and 24 touchdowns, while adding 835 rushing yards and 10 scores on the ground. Dampier will again carry the load for the Utes as they begin a new era under first-year coach Morgan Scalley and the arrival of offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven.

16. Noah Fifita, Arizona

Fifita has started 34 of his 40 contests at Arizona and bounced back from a rough 2024 season by throwing for a career-high 3,228 yards and 29 touchdown last year. Adding a running ability to his repertoire was a big plus, finally forcing defenses to pay attention to his legs. He enters the 2026 season as the nation's active career passing touchdown leader with 73, setting him up for a big finish with the Wildcats.

15. Demond Williams, Washington

Williams almost wasn't with the Huskies after he reversed course from a planned transfer this winter. He completed 69.5% of his attempts for 3,065 yards and 28 scores in 2025 and is poised to become a national name if the Huskies can improve their performances against elite competition. Washington managed just 27 combined points in losses to Ohio State, Michigan and Oregon.

14. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M

Reed nicknamed himself the “Gingerbread Man.” Why? Because, you can’t catch him. A multi-sport star in high school, he attacks defenses with his legs and his arm. His struggles came against Texas A&M’s toughest competition, and his sophomore season ended after a red-zone interception in a playoff loss to Miami. He’s vowed to cut down on his 12 interceptions. If he makes good on that pledge, he possesses abilities to be a top-tier SEC quarterback.

13. Drew Mestekmaker, Oklahoma State

Mestemaker has already had an unexpected career, rising from from a walk-on to undeniable star for North Texas as a redshirt freshman in 2025. He led the country in passing yards (4,379), yards per game (312.8) and yards per pass attempt (9.46). With Mean Green coach Eric Morris moving to Stillwater after the season, Mestemaker joined him and bring big expectations to lead an offense that needed a total rebuild.

12. Kevin Jennings, SMU

Entering his third season as the Mustangs’ full-time starter with 54 career TD passes, Jennings hopes this year to check a couple more boxes on his collegiate resume. Namely, getting the team back to the conference title game as he did in 2024 and win it this time, and then subsequently lead the Ponies deeper into the playoff. He does have 26 career interceptions, in part a function of the team’s pass-heavy system, but he’ll need to cut down on the giveaways.

11. Josh Hoover, Indiana

Hoover becomes the third consecutive transfer to grab the reins of the Indiana offense since Curt Cignetti's arrival in Bloomington. He had productive run at TCU with 71 touchdowns passes while leading the Horned Frogs to consecutive nine-win seasons. The one catch is turnovers. Hoover was in a high-volume system but still tossed 24 interceptions the past two years, the majority coming on the road.

10. John Mateer, Oklahoma

Who is the real John Mateer? He was dynamite through four games in his first season at Oklahoma after arriving from Washington State. Then, he broke his thumb in a win against Auburn. He gutsily rushed back from the injury, but his performance dropped. That dip in production makes you wonder whether last September was a mirage, or will he be healthy and productive this season? Mateer battles an interception bug, but he’s also packed with dual-threat and big-play abilities.

9. Jayden Maiava, USC

Maiava gets lost in the shuffle when discussing the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten but has an opportunity to climb this list if USC can leap back into the playoff picture. The former UNLV transfer will have plenty to work with thanks to more transfer help and the addition of one of the year’s top recruiting classes.

8. Sam Leavitt, LSU

After a breakout campaign in 2024, when Arizona State made the playoff, Leavitt's progression stalled last year during a season cut short by a foot injury. Now, he must prove he’s recovered from his injury and is ready for an uptick in competition. The SEC is a different beast than the Big 12, but Leavitt's got a coach in Lane Kiffin and a coordinator in Charlie Weis Jr. who can help him handle it.  

7. Gunner Stockton, Georgia

Not a prototype quarterback in terms of size, Stockton is a gamer, a winner, clutch and has a really good arm. He showed all of those qualities on one play last season when he fired a fourth-down touchdown dart against Tennessee, allowing Georgia to survive an upset scare. Stockton elevates in the big games. He outplayed Arch Manning in their head-to-head duel last November. More will be on his shoulders with a young receiving corps but he seems ready to carry load.

6. Darian Mensah, Miami

Miami is the third stop in Mensah's career after starting at Tulane and then playing last season for Duke. He led the Blue Devils to the ACC title while throwing for almost 4,000 yards and 34 touchdowns before making the scrutinized decision to switch to a school in conference. Mensah will be under the proverbial microscope with the Hurricanes having national championship goals but has the mindset and talent to handle the pressure.

5. Arch Manning, Texas

Now that Manning’s been a starter for a full season, maybe his every movement and fashion choices won’t be scrutinized to the nth degree. Ah, who are we kidding? After a slow a slow start, Manning finished last season much better. His abilities were on full display in a Citrus Bowl win against Michigan. He’s an excellent runner who needs more consistency as a passer, but Texas added weapons around him. Perhaps, all that hype last summer was just a year too soon.

4. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss

He’s a proven star that led the Rebels to the College Football Playoff semifinals, including a defeat of Georgia in the quarterfinals that wouldn’t have been possible without Chambliss’ dazzling performance. A sixth-year player, he’s no longer the unknown underdog who came to Ole Miss as a Division II transfer. He’s become one of college football’s biggest stars, a charismatic dual threat with Heisman Trophy potential.

3. CJ Carr, Notre Dame

A Notre Dame quarterback living up to high expectations? That hasn't always been the case with heralded players in the past but Carr more than exceeded his hype in his first season as starter. Throwing for 2,741 yards and 24 touchdowns in a season that ended with disappointment when the Fighting Irish were not selected to the playoff. Losing Jeremiyah Love will put more on Carr's plate. He seems ready for the challenge.

2. Julian Sayin, Ohio State

Maybe the biggest hurdle to Sayin claiming the Heisman Trophy is his teammate, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who is widely seen as the best pound-for-pound player in the country. To his credit, Sayin is coming off a year with 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns while averaging 9.2 yards per attempt. There’s every reason to think he’ll take another step forward in 2026 under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

1. Dante Moore, Oregon

Moore is seen as maybe the nation’s top overall draft prospect after a 2025 season that saw him throw for 30 scores in leading the Ducks to the playoff semifinals. He’ll have to prove he can handle Indiana after tossing three interceptions in two losses to the Hoosiers.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Transfers shake up 2026 college football QB rankings. See who tops our Top 25 list